US President Donald Trump has suggested some TV networks should have their licences "taken away", the BBC reported. 

The remarks come after pressure from the administration led ABC to suspend Jimmy Kimmel. The late-night TV host made comments about the Charlie Kirk murder suspect, saying Trump supporters had tried to "characterize this kid as anything other than one of them".

Kimmel's suspension following the threat of regulatory action has raised concerns the Trump administration was attempting to curtail the free speech of its critics - with other talk show hosts commenting on the row.

"This is blatant censorship," Stephen Colbert said on his rival CBS show. "With an autocrat, you can't give an inch."

In his monologue on Monday, Kimmel, 57, had said the "Maga gang" - a reference to Trump supporters who rallied around his Make America Great Again election slogan - was "desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them" and trying to "score political points from it".

Officials in Utah, where Kirk was killed, have said he was "indoctrinated with leftist ideology".

Kimmel also likened Trump's reaction to the death of his 31-year-old political confidant to "how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish".

Kimmel has condemned the attack and sent "love" to the Kirk family in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

Trump spoke about the issue to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday while returning from a state visit to the UK.
"I have read some place that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily [in last year's election]," the president said.
"They give me only bad publicity [and] press. I mean, they're getting a licence. I would think maybe their licence should be taken away."